Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-03-12
DRINKING ACONITE BY MISTAKE.
The Terrible Death OF VIZ. Paul Rein.
lein, a Druggist.

! heAhs a nHuSSsS
A DOSE OF POISON TAKEN BY MISTAKE FOR WHISKY
| A STRUGGLE AGAINST DEATH-THE UNFORTUNATE
MANS GOODNESS AT THE LAST MOMENT.
| Yesterday afternoon Mr. Paul Reinlein the well
known druggist died at his store at the northeast
| corner OF 9th and streets northwest, from the
| effects OF dose OF tincture OF acOnite taken by
| mistake. Mr.. Reinlein had been busiy
! engaged between one and two O'Clock writ
| ing at his desk with his back turned toward
| the prescription case, and while there, feel
| ing somewhat bad about his stomach,
turned and poured out In glass what he sup
posed was Is ounces OF whiskey. Mr.. Theodore
K. Nelson. one of his clerks who was In the store
at the time, about five minutes to two o'clock,
heard Reinlein call him from behind the pre-
scription case. Mr.. Nelson responded at once, and
Mr. Re1niein told him that he had taken acOnite,
and to get him some hot water of the stove so
that he could take some fpecac. The ipecac was
doSed himself with suphate OF zine, but without
any result: MI Nelson then ran TO DE-. StearnS
oi me-. anu the doctor responded promptly.
inns was at2:1O, twenty minutes afterthe poison
hau Deen TAKEN The emeticS were continued and
ABOUT drachm OF disitaIis was injected into more
IMAM than fifty places In Mr.. ReinIein's arms and
legs. About a pint OF whisky was administered
Id conjunction with plentiful draughts of warm
water. whisky was also injected into the extremi-
ticS. Dr ID. W.. PrentfsS had In the meantime
been teiephoned and he arrived. An attempt was
nldde 10 use s1phon stomach pump, but it so Sc
ID
bored breathing that ft could not be used He was
very calm, and asked for various anttdOteS and
e.nelicS as they occurred to his mind. He in
CURED continuously to the state OF his pulse,
ana seemed anxious, but not alarmed. His Suffer-
lngS from the poison were not severe, the exces-
roS dgs ereeatning being the principal
experience could suggest was put forth to aid the
!. unfortunate man, but at a few minutes before
3oclock he was taken with severe rigid Spasm
which never relaxed. He died in the spasm after
ngntlng the poison one hour and ten minutes
CooLLY AWAITING DEATH.
Mr.. Reinlein was cool and self-possessed in
his dying moments as II he were about his usual
vacations. When the physicians arrived he made
suggestions as to the best mode OF treating his
Case, and finding that the remedies were OF no
avail ne appealed to Dr. StearnS ''for Gods sake
give me something to make me throw up; don't
let me Ole before your eyes" DIR. StearnS told
him that he would do his best and remain with
him This was about 2:i5 o'clock. One of the
ne1ghbOrS then coming in and asking how he felt,
Mr.. Reinlein said, 81 am going to tell the doctOr
and told DR.. Stearns. While DR.. Stearns contin-
ued giving him injections OF whisky and d1gital1s
MIR. Reinlein said that he kept his whisky OF
which he drank only moderately, in the same sort
of bottle that the aconite was kept in, though
counts he reached over to where he had put the
bottle OF whisky half hour before, ana taking
what he supposed to be the same bottle. poured
some into a medicine glass and drank 1t. Setting
the bottle back again in Its place. He did not ex
perieEce any unusual feeling Immediately, and re-
Suned MS work. Five minutes later he felt queer
sensation In the stomach, and with sudden fear
grasped the bottle and turned 1t around that he
could see the label. He felt numb all over when
he saw the word aconite on the bottle He
knew that his chances OF life after that length Of
time were very faint, but he determined to fight
Tor HE as long as he could. He had been growing
weaker as he related the details Of the sad acct
dent
DYING IN A SPASM
Dr. Stearns said, 81 suggested that he let me use
S1phon stomach pump ON him, but when 1
started to insert it he drew back and would not let
me- IT'S no use Doctor he said, feel that am
dylng.' From that minute he sank rapidly. He
weaker, his pulse beating Ieebler and feebler un-
I'll Two minutes after three, when he threw uD his
hands and cried out wildly, Give me something TO
hold on to- The next moment he Stiffened him
sell out straight and died few seconds later In a
rigid SpaSm. II he had noticed his mistake tmme-
d1ately after taking the fatal draught the chances
Would nave been all in favor Of his recovery, but
no man cOuld mold an ounce and half of acOniUe
On his stomach five minutes and live"
While the attempt was being made to save the
poor mans lie the neighbOrS learned of the un-
anxious 1nquirerS gathered around the store for
MI. Reinlein Was highly respected The police
were at once informed. and when he died, DR.. Pat
terSOn the coroner, came up, and aScertaining the
facts decided that no inquest was necessary The
remains were taken In charge by Mr.. j. r. Wright,
lne Undertaken, who removed them to Mr.. Rein
lelnS residence, corner OF 9th and Boundary
streetS, Wnefe ne Kept branch store.
THE DECEASED
was native of Germany, 81 years OF age. and was
man OF very fine physique and arable DISPOSE
ton. He came to this country when small boy,
and learned the drug business in Cincinnati
AFTER having benin business in that city for years
ne came here about ten years ago and opened the
store In which he died. he established his branch
stOle ABOUT three years ago. DR.. Reinlein was
Twice widower, having one daughter, Mrs E.
Stark, by his first wife, He has sister living ar
Chllnc0the, Ohio